News from around the 32 counties of Ireland

Charity shops won't be banned from operating on Dublin's premier shopping street, but no more fast food restaurants or bookies will be allowed.

Councilors voted not to put charity shops on a lengthy list of unwanted stores at a meeting of Dublin City Council last Monday night.

Following a vote, premises that "would detract from the character of the street" will no longer get planning permission to open.
[Source: Evening Herald]

FERMANAGH

Just over two weeks since the G8 leaders departed from Fermanagh turf, retailers in Enniskillen are happy to report they didn’t take the customers with them. Over the two days of the summit, Enniskillen was referred to as a “ghost town” with many choosing to avoid the town for fear of traffic disruption and delays.

A week on, though, and the retail landscape is “back to normal,” with the shops in the town hoping that two days of lost trade will be more than compensated by long term benefits the result of increased profile and exposure.
[Source: Fermanagh Herald]

GALWAY

Galway City was named as one of Ireland's “Best Kept Towns” at an award ceremony hosted by Minister Phil Hogan in Farmleigh House.

As part of the competition, the highest scoring towns in the national Tidy Towns Competition compete with the winners of Northern Ireland's Best Kept Towns for the title of Ireland's “Best Kept Town.”

Galway City was one of just 13 towns shortlisted out of over 700 towns adjudicated.
[Source: Galway Bay FM]

KERRY

It took the wildlife team three hours to walk and climb to the perch high above the scenic lakes in Killarney National Park, where they tagged the first eagle to be born in County Kerry in more than 100 years.

The lakes had been associated with eagles, particularly golden eagles, since ancient times, but the birds were shot and poisoned to extinction in the early-1900s.

The chick, “Paudie,” is a white-tailed sea eagle. Now eight-weeks old, he weighs 7.4 pounds and is still in the nest. The scientist in charge of the operation, Dr Allan Mee, said it would be some weeks before the chick is airborne. Evidence of fish and small mammals – but not lambs, he reassured farmers – was found in the nest.
[Source: Irish Times]

KILDARE

A Newbridge couple suffered serious injuries following a fire in one of the town’s oldest residential areas on Wednesday night, June 26.

Neighbors living in the Liffey View/Barracks area of the town center were horrified to see resident Kevin “Keggie”) Brennan outside his burning home at around 10:15 p.m. that night, clearly suffering injuries to his face and hands and crying out for help.

Both he and his wife, Catherine, managed to get out of the house, but both suffered extensive injuries and were subsequently taken for treatment to St. James’ Hospital in Dublin, where they are still being treated.
[Source: Kildare Nationalist]

KILKENNY

One of Kilkenny’s most well-known and respected figures was honored two weeks ago with a lifetime achievement award for his decades of hard work, honesty, and efforts to improve other people’s lives.

Seamus Pattison’s political career spanned decades, from his time as a local councilor and a three-time mayor of Kilkenny City (1967, 1976 and 1992), to his election as ceann comhairle (speaker) of the Dáil (Irish Assembly)in 1997 and leas cheann comhairle (deputy chairman) of the Dáil in 2002. He brought great honor to his native city and county, holding a Dáil seat for 22 years.

He also had the rare privilege of being awarded the Freedom of Kilkenny City.
[Source: Kilkenny People]

LAOIS

A Portarlington woman convicted of theft was two weeks ago denied legal aid at the district court, as Judge Catherine Staines remarked the woman had recently been able to afford a holiday to Spain.

Kelly has no previous convictions, although she received an adult caution before for a similar offense.
[Source: Leinster Express]

LEITRIM

The Dowra Green Village Group is little over a year old, but the committee has proven its dedication to revitalizing Dowra village.

Its first project was the landscaping and walling of the Jim McPadden Memorial. The committee formed in late 2011and is made up of a small number of motivated Dowra inhabitants. They felt that “Sweet Dowra Town” was just not so sweet anymore.

The village, which borders counties Cavan and Leitrim, has been somewhat neglected in recent years.
[Source: Leitrim Observer]

LIMERICK

Rachel Moran who is originally from Dublin was based herself as a call girl in the city center in the 1990s, during which time she says she earned “tens of thousands” of pounds. The 37-year-old said she worked in brothels in six apartments at city locations – including Cruises Street, the Dock Road and the Ennis Road – where she performed sex and sexual acts for clients from both the city and the county.